Once Bitten, Twice Shy
by Porticulis
Summary: Dedicated to Devlinn Reiko sama. Bryan's come to China heralding a promise, but a promise of what? Old sayings aren't always true . . .


This is for Devlinn Reiko- sama. Yup. You've done me a great number of good turns. This time let me do the honours. This is the Rei x Bryan pairing you requested.

* * *

Once Bitten, Twice Shy  
  
He was melting. He was sure of it. Even through his shades he winced as the sunlight lanced into his sensitive albino eyes. That bloody psychologist was a fool to have recommended him here. He was better off in the institute. At least there he wouldn't die of heat- stroke.  
  
Instead he was here. In China, out of all the bloody places in the world.  
  
Bloody psychologist. The cities had been fine; there at least they believed in air- conditioning. Then that bloody fool had suggested visiting the rural areas, learning first- hand the Chinese culture, appreciating the tenacity of a race that battled natural disasters and survived years of oppression. It had sounded boring then but he had gone along with it as an investment to get him out of the rehabilitation institute. He hadn't taken the killing heat into account.  
  
So now he paid for it. Walking along the street markets he was thankful once again that he had ditched his psychologist a couple of streets back. For someone educated he didn't seem to understand the old adage that silence is golden. The nerd had practically gone ballistic at the chance to discuss social interaction amongst the local populace with him. Bryan had to scoff at these transparent attempts at helping him cope with daily life. Bryan knew how to get along with people. You make an example of the first one that messes with you and everything's smooth- sailing from that point.  
  
"Oof!"  
  
Bryan slowly arched his body up to look at mass of brown hair that had collided into him. The little head of brown hair raised to reveal a pair of innocent dark brown eyes and a recently flattened nose. His young face was apologetic.  
  
"Dui bu qi! Xian shen nin mei shi ba?" (I'm sorry! Are you alright sir?)  
  
"Wha- ? Look kid, I don't speak Chinese." Bryan replied pushing the boy away from his body.  
  
He didn't like to be touched.  
  
"Dui bu qi, dui bu qi!" (I'm sorry, I'm sorry!) the boy kept repeating as he frantically dusted off the dull red sand that marred the perfect crimson shade of his jacket.  
  
Bryan frowned. The boy must have kicked the sand onto his jacket in that collision. Bryan tried to stop the patter of hands but try as he might he couldn't grab hold of the little devil's hands. Frustrated, he growled threateningly. That caught the boy's attention. The little boy staggered backwards, terrified brown eyes staring apprehensively at the Russian youth.  
  
"Damn." Bryan muttered.  
  
He hadn't spent one hour on his own and already he was freaking some kid out.  
  
"Look-" Bryan began intending to explain that he wasn't going to hurt the boy but his lips fell silent as the boy darted away, weaving nimbly into the press of human bodies in the crowded market.  
  
"Damn."  
  
Bryan watched the crowd silently for a moment before he started to turn around and head off to find some place with a lot of shade. He had almost left the street when he heard some commotion behind him.  
  
'_Probably some poor bugger who's got his pocket picked._' Bryan thought to himself and continued to walk away.  
  
"Oi! Mister! Hey!"  
  
The shock of hearing something he actually understood made him turn around.  
  
Shimmering raven hair flowing down glowing white robes and a lightly tanned arm waving something sleek and black in the air filled his vision.  
  
"Hey Mister! You- " The figure stopped suddenly, golden eyes wide in shock.  
  
"Bryan?"  
  
Bryan too was in shock.  
  
It was Rei.

* * *

They eventually found a shady tree to shelter under to talk more comfortably.  
  
"So you're telling me," Bryan began rather angrily, "that this little runt picked my pocket while he was dusting me off?"  
  
The little runt in question cringed behind Rei, his brown eyes peeking at the raging lilac- haired youth.  
  
"Calm down, you've got your wallet back." Rei pointed out placing a reassuring hand on the little boy's head.  
  
Bryan glared at Rei completely incensed.  
  
"That little rat stole my wallet!" He roared.  
  
"And he also returned it." Rei countered and then added offhandedly, "With some persuasion of course."  
  
Bryan, mottled with rage, gnashed his teeth in fury. The little boy whimpered behind Rei's leg.  
  
"Look, I really think you should calm down and listen to me." Rei whispered with a hint of steel in his voice.  
  
Bryan flicked his eyes onto Rei's suddenly serious expression.  
  
"He was abandoned at the age of three. That's when he got to know his 'elder brothers'. They thought him to steal, to traffic drugs and a host of other unsavoury skills. It took everything he had for him to be rid of those thugs."  
  
Rei paused, his breaths suddenly heavy.  
  
"He's with me now and I'm trying to teach him and he's learning real well. Being respectable and ridding himself of the old habits isn't easy but he's trying."  
  
Bryan watched as Rei flushed agitatedly, the golden specks of light streaming from the gaps of the large green boughs making his sweat glisten.  
  
"He's sorry about your wallet. Just stop giving him a hard time."  
  
It came out as a bare whisper. Rei looked tired suddenly, older and wearier than Bryan had ever noticed before. Bryan glanced at the small boy and met the worried look in those large eyes. He felt something in his chest twinge for a moment and several unwanted memories replayed themselves in his mind.  
  
_You were once like him Bryan._  
  
"Whatever." Bryan muttered and proceeded to leave the shade of the tree.  
  
The sun glared unrelentingly through his shades before Bryan had to turn around again. He looked at the hand on his shoulder and then at the tentative smile on Rei's shadowed face.  
  
"Tea?"

* * *

The cobblestones were slowly roasting Bryan's feet through his trainers. As it was, Bryan was almost certain he was getting the scent of roast meat wafting from his shoes.  
  
"How far exactly is this village of yours?" Bryan asked for the millionth time.  
  
"Not far. Couple of minutes more." Rei answered for the millionth time, a contented smile on his face as he watched his little friend skip in some predetermined pattern that only the young one could see.  
  
Bryan followed his gaze, mostly to take a break from the scowling.  
  
"So, how did you meet the little bugger?" Bryan asked genuinely curious.  
  
"Hm?" Rei turned, the ghost of a fading smile playing on his lips.  
  
_Nice. _The thought flashed elusively through the Russian's mind.  
  
"Xiao Shu? Um . . . three months back." Golden eyes flicked towards the hopping form before them. "He was in trouble with the market vendors. It ruins business you know, pickpockets. Makes people reluctant to shop."  
  
Rei chuckled softly earning a look of bafflement from his companion.  
  
"It wasn't the first time they caught him. He'd been caught seven times at least before that incident. He had looked so helpless and cute that the vendors hadn't the heart to turn him in to the police. But that last time had been the final straw."  
  
The oriental youth fell silent for a few moments, golden eyes distant.  
  
"You stopped them then?"  
  
"Yes." Rei whispered then in a more normal tone he continued, "It wasn't easy though. I had to promise to be Xiao Shu's caretaker and to ensure his good behaviour. Then I had to face grandfather and a very annoyed Lee. Mariah was supportive though. She pampers him more than I do. Haha . . . there was a lot of fast- talking going on that day."  
  
"And being a celebrity helps right?"  
  
Bryan froze realising he had just thought that aloud. It didn't help that Rei was looking at him in a calculating manner that was highly disconcerting.  
  
"What are you doing in China anyway?"  
  
"None of your business."  
  
Rei smiled in reply.  
  
"You've been well? Since the tournament?"  
  
Bryan froze for a fraction of a second, his jaws clenched tightly.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
Rei watched him.  
  
_He's changed . . . he's not so violent . . . not as cold . . ._  
  
"Bryan . . . "  
  
Pale eyes turned to focus on the Chinese youth.  
  
"I don't know how to say this . . ." Rei turned to gaze upon attentive white- jade eyes. "That tournament . . . whatever happened, we're cool about that right?"  
  
_He finally said it._ Bryan thought with some resignation.  
  
His psychologist had been trying to prepare him for this but now that the moment was finally here he was left speechless. He cleared his throat to buy some time but fell silent soon after.  
  
Quite suddenly Rei wheeled about and stood before Bryan extending a hand that hovered expectantly.  
  
"Quits?" Rei asked with a small grin.  
  
Bryan watched quietly for a few moments clearly uncomfortable.  
  
Was it fear? Was it guilt? Was it hatred? What was it? Why was he so reluctant?  
  
Slow and uncertain Bryan reached into Rei's proffered palm his eyes turned decidedly downwards. It came as a shock when Rei grasped his hand. A warm, strangely reassuring shock. It was . . . comfortable. He revelled in this unexpected emotion savouring the contentment.  
  
A young voice called in the distance.  
  
"Ge ge! Kuai dian ah!" (Big Brother! Hurry up!)  
  
"Lai le, lai le." (Coming, coming.)  
  
Rei smiled at his young charge and turned back to Bryan whose hand had retreated back into his pocket.  
  
"Up to a little brisk walking?"  
  
Bryan scowled and wiped impatiently at the pouring sweat on his forehead against his sleeve.  
  
Rei chuckled and led the way, a mischievous smile playing on his lips.

* * *

The tea was bland but refreshing. Bryan remembered thinking that he should introduce the Chinese to this little invention called 'Sugar'. But he wasn't complaining. He lounged against the bearably warm pillar beneath the shade of the pavilion. It was, Rei had told him with a slight blush, a Welcome Home present from the villagers. They had, the youth had explained, been very impressed with his performance during the tournament. (There an awkward pause had settled for a while for they both knew which match Rei was referring to.) The pavilion was named after him and, no surprise here, held a simple stone beyblade dish. Bryan had inspected it closely while Rei was off preparing the tea. When Rei returned he had carried a miniature clay tea set or at least that was what it looked like. Rei had taken one look at Bryan's expression and warned him that it was traditional. Bryan had snorted in an I'm- not- even – bothering – to- comment way whilst privately very amused as he watched Rei fussing about with the puny cups.  
  
No longer in danger of collapsing from heat stroke, Bryan turned to survey the village. Green tiles, greying walls and in some buildings stout red pillars guarded by stone lions the size of very large dogs. All of which shimmered in the heated air. There seemed to be very little activity and not for the first time, Bryan wondered how the people here made their living. In the market people seemed to be desperate to make that extra dollar but here all he saw was the occasional farmer tending over a field barely larger than an average garden and the rare shop vendor fanning himself lazily behind his counter. Bryan was tempted to ask but he wondered if the boy would tell anyway. He was getting rather frustrated with that mysterious smile that Rei gave him. Somehow it made him feel like a rather large cat was mocking him. It was disconcerting and thus embarrassing. He'd be damned if he gave Rei one more opportunity to ridicule him.  
  
"Rather quiet here isn't it?" he asked casually.  
  
Rei who was idly sipping his tea with one hand and tickling his little friend with the other flicked his golden eyes towards Bryan.  
  
_That look again . . . like he's expecting me to say or do something other than suffer in this heat and make small talk. _

But Bryan kept his thoughts to himself.  
  
"Well," Rei began setting down his cup, "It's about noon and any sane person who didn't have anything else to do would stay indoors."  
  
"You mean they don't have anything to do at all?" Bryan shot at once and cursed himself as, as he predicted, Rei flashed him the smug cat smile.  
  
"Forget it." Bryan muttered, utterly disgusted with himself.  
  
Rei chuckled and was about to pour more tea when a small hand tugged at his arm. Rei peered down at the cute little face.  
  
"Zhen me le?" (What is it?)  
  
"Na wei ge ge shi shui ah? Ta de tou fa zhen me guai guai de?" (Who is that big brother? Why is his hair so weird?)  
  
Rei glanced at the lavender –haired youth with an impish smile. Bryan returned that child- like expression with a look of complete bafflement.  
  
"Na wei ge ge shi wo de peng you. Ta de tou fa na li guai ne? Nan dao ni bu jue de, ta na zi se de tou fa, sui ran gen da jia de bu tong, dan shi fan er shi ta xian de geng jia hao kan ma?" (That big brother is my friend. His hair's not weird. Don't you think that the unique lavender colour makes him look even better?)  
  
The young Chinese boy hazarded a surreptitious glance in Bryan's direction. He quickly whipped his head back when he found the curious pale eyes upon him.  
  
"Ta de yan jing bai bai de, hao kong bu ah!" (His eyes are so white they're scary!) the young boy whispered, fear written clearly in his hazel eyes.  
  
Rei laughed at his young friend's silliness.  
  
"Sha gua! Bu shi mei ge ren dou you xiang ni na xuang mi ren de yan jing." (Silly! Not everyone has mesmerising eyes like yours.) Rei teased ruffling his friend's dark brown hair.  
  
Rei peered at the clueless Bryan and gazed amusedly into those pearly eyes that looked so adorably confused.  
  
"Ni guo qu lian yi xia hao ma?" (Go off and train for a while 'k?) Rei gently instructed.  
  
The young boy nodded his head vigorously. He stole one shy glance at Bryan before scampering off to the stone blade dish, a pale- blue beyblade streaked with yellow suddenly in his hand.  
  
Rei rose from his seat and moved with fluid grace towards Bryan, his white robe flowing in harmony with his every motion. Bryan looked quizzically at the vision before him.  
  
"What did he say to you?" Bryan inquired, his lavender brows arched with irrepressible curiosity.  
  
"He found you an interesting subject of study, particularly your exceptional features." Rei replied trying hard not to smile.  
  
"Oh?" Bryan answered uncertainly and then his brows creased in a frown.  
  
"Did he call me 'ghost' or 'freak'? Or was it some local phrase?" Bryan spat bitterly.  
  
Rei's golden eyes widened in shock, then they narrowed in a saddened look. Bryan couldn't bear to gaze a moment longer at that expression of sorrow. Bryan tore his gaze away from Rei's face, his sight suddenly blurred by unbidden tears.  
  
"Is that what they call you?" it was barely a whisper, but loud enough for Bryan to note the disappointment in the Chinese youth's voice.  
  
"It doesn't matter." Bryan answered hoarsely as he stood up and stepped away from Rei.  
  
He stopped abruptly in his steps. A warm hand reach into his palm, and smooth fingers twined themselves securely around his hand.  
  
Bryan resisted the urge to turn back. His eyes still gleamed with potential disgrace.  
  
"Do you know what I see?" Rei began.  
  
Bryan's head snapped up but his face remained averted from those golden eyes.  
  
Rei spoke softly but clearly, his eyes locked earnestly on Bryan's slightly tousled hair.  
  
"I see . . . I see a field of lavenders. Beautiful lilac flowers swaying dreamily about a face as fair and as pure as snow. It seems cold at first, but when I reach out with my fingertips I find that it's truly warm, warm like honeyed beams of sunlight." Rei paused for a moment, uncertain if he should continue.  
  
Bryan's silence persuaded him to go on.  
  
"But best of all are those eyes. Those perfect moons of wide jade that gleam with a hundred different emotions hidden deep inside. These eyes show me intelligence, depth, discipline and also unsurpassed beauty. If there are any monstrosities in the world, then it is in those who cannot see the wonder in that face and the beauty in those eyes."  
  
Rei fell silent but his gaze was fixed on Bryan's still form panting from the immense pressure and the shock of having said all that. Would Bryan lash out at him? Would he accuse Rei of being a liar? But Rei meant it, every word of it. Or would Bryan run away? Would the Russian youth disappear forever into the torment and suffering he condemns himself to? Suddenly Rei realised that he didn't want Bryan to leave. He wanted Bryan to come out of his self- imposed exile; or was it Bryan he wanted? His stomach lurched uncomfortably with the tumult of emotions.  
  
A loud exclamation broke the train of Rei's thoughts.  
  
"Chen gong le!" (I did it!)  
  
Rei whipped his head about and smiled as he saw his young friend bouncing happily by the blade dish as his beyblade looped about the stone bowl. The young Chinese boy turned and beamed happily at Rei, quickly bounding off to Rei's side. The boy paused watching the two older boys poised awkwardly, their hands joined. Rei looked to his young friend unsure of what to say. The younger boy cocked his head to one side and made a grab on the two hands clasped about each other and tugged impatiently.  
  
"Ni men kuai kan ah!" (Come and look guys, quick!)  
  
Rei looked helplessly at the boy and turned to watch Bryan.  
  
"He . . . er, wants us to see something."  
  
Bryan seemed frozen to the spot but then he raised his free hand and reached into his pockets. He drew out his shades and pushed them on and turned around. Rei was tactful enough not to stare. Then the two of them allowed themselves to be dragged to the dish and watched as a blue and yellow blur gently circled the centre of the stone bowl.  
  
The young boy turned earnestly towards his caretaker.  
  
"Ni men kan! Ni men kan! Wo zuo de hen hao dui bu dui?" (Look! Look! I did well didn't I?)  
  
"En. Hen hao." (Yes, you did great.)  
  
Bryan watched the pair of them, beaming at each other. Confident of each others affections . . . content to bask in it . . . elated over a skill childishly simple to a national champion. And to know that his heart exulted with them, to know that his hand rested so reassuringly in a warm and tender palm, that an innocent boy held their hands together, it just made him feel . . . safe. A smile stole over his face, and without knowing it, he had leaned in closer. Had he been paying attention, it might have interested him that Rei raised his brows in surprise and very faintly, began to blush.

* * *

(There's a calm surrender  
  
To the rush of day  
  
When the heat of the rolling world  
  
Can be turned away)  
  
Evening light filtered through jade- green boughs painting a stained glass sylvan forest. The distant music of forest life flowed along cool air currents that bore the subtle fragrance of wildflowers nestled in sweetly scented grass. A narrow earthen path told Bryan that the forest frequently shared its splendour with visitors. Before him, dusk- tinted raven hair swayed lightly as the Chinese youth trailed after his young charge that raced ahead. It was hard now to believe that beyond the boundaries of this realm of docile nature lay the town areas filled with the stifling press of human bodies and the explosion of noise between haggler and hawker. The air was fresh here, the forest sedate and relaxed. Here nature rested as it played idly with the palette of approaching night.  
  
Rei breathed deeply and savoured the fresh, clean air. He turned to look at Bryan.  
  
"Enjoying yourself?"  
  
Bryan gazed about the shifting colours of the forest and searched for something to criticise.  
  
"There's too many . . . trees." He finished lamely.  
  
Rei chuckled and winked at him. Bryan's heart skipped a beat.  
  
"Got you this time haven't I? Nothing to complain?"  
  
"You wish." Bryan retorted trying to hide his surprise at the effect Rei's amusement had.  
  
"Oh really? Well then . . ."  
  
Bryan gasped as Rei grabbed his arm and sprinted off the path through the trees.  
  
"Wai- Whe- Rei !?!"  
  
And they stopped.  
  
"Oof!"  
  
Abruptly.  
  
Rei groaned and tried without success to right himself up. Bryan was sprawled over his back, completely winded from his collision into the Chinese youth.  
  
"What the hell?" Bryan muttered pushing himself up.  
  
"Sorry. You called me Rei."  
  
"What?"  
  
"You called my name! You said Rei!"  
  
Bryan looked into those jubilant eyes in complete bafflement.  
  
"So?"  
  
Bryan blinked and suddenly averted his gaze.  
  
"You er . . . you hadn't used my name in all this time."  
  
"Mmhm. . ." Bryan wasn't really listening. He peered at the half-concealed face. Was Rei blushing?  
  
Rei raised his head so suddenly that Bryan staggered back.  
  
"But we're here." Rei said smiling once again and looking only slightly embarrassed.  
  
"Here?" Bryan muttered only mildly curious.  
  
Had Rei been blushing just now?  
  
Rei beamed at him and pointed to his right.  
  
Bryan turned and found himself looking at a smooth round boulder. He was about to turn to Rei to ask him what was so special when Rei got up to his feet and strode gracefully to it. Calm hands touched it's shiny top and slender fingers trailed patterns on its cool firmness. Rei purred a sigh and slowly sunk to his knees, curling up to the boulder. Bryan watched as the evening rays danced autumn colours over his companion's content form.  
  
"This is the my favourite spot. It's always so calm, so firm and reassuring."  
  
Bryan watched the distant golden gaze silently.  
  
"It's warm in the afternoons when I feel lost, it comforts me. When I need someone to confide to, it's always here. This is . . . it's my home of homes."  
  
Golden eyes caught white- jade ones as the evening breeze settled about them.  
  
"I . . . I came here on my psychologist's request."  
  
Leaves rustled and Bryan looked towards the endless heavens, heaving a sigh.  
  
"He thought I'd be happier here, where not many people know about my past."  
  
He fell silent for a few moments staring instead at the growing night and the early stars burning faintly through the dark canopy.  
  
"Maybe . . . maybe he's right."  
  
Rei had spoken and had sidled closer to the Russian youth.  
  
"Maybe he's right. Starting anew might help."  
  
Bryan glanced briefly at Rei and looked away.  
  
"What do you care?"  
  
"Because I do."  
  
There was a silence and then Bryan rose abruptly, turning away from the Chinese youth.  
  
"I don't need your pity."  
  
"It isn't pity." Rei whispered.  
  
"Then what is it? Tell me! Tell me why you're so bothered about me!"  
  
"Bryan . . .I-"  
  
Rei looked as if there was something he wanted to say. He opened his lips and then shut them but soon moved them again-  
  
A figure burst into the clearing.  
  
"Ge ge! Ni zhen me diu xia wo bu guan ne?" (Brother, why did you abandon me?)  
  
"Xiao Shu!" (Xiao Shu!) Rei exclaimed rushing to the tearing boy's side. 

"Zhen de dui bu qi Xiao Shu! Ge ge zui huai le! Dui bu qi!" (I'm really so sorry, I'm so sorry Xiao Shu! I'm the worst! I'm so sorry.)  
  
Bryan watched as they held on to each other, youth and kid and he felt a strange turn in his stomach. They loved each other. It was something he understood even though he had never seen it before. The way Rei held that kid, like the need to breathe, and the boy clinging on as if Rei was the only handhold in this crazy universe. In the moments of that embrace, Bryan suddenly realised that he wanted to be that kid, to be held like that, to have that final handhold in all this madness.  
  
He shook his head violently and then cleared his throat. Rei looked up and gave a commiserating smile even as he held the young boy's head still buried in his chest.  
  
"I'm sorry Bryan. I was being stupid leaving him alone like that."  
  
Bryan grunted in reply and looked away.  
  
"I'm going to have to take him home now. I'm sorry, I really wanted to show you the sights."  
  
Bryan nodded glancing at the silently sobbing boy. Then he watched as Rei scooped the little kid in his arms, feeling his heart twinge for some reason. Rei turned to the Russian youth, his face slightly strained by his charge's weight.  
  
"Will you be alright on your own?"  
  
"Yeah I know my wa– damn!"  
  
Rei grinned and started off to the earthen path.  
  
"Follow me to the village then I'll bring you back to your lodgings."  
  
Golden eyes gleamed mischievously as Bryan scowled and then nodded grudgingly.

* * *

The oriental house that looked stony and boring from outside took Bryan's breath away when Rei lit the candle on the simple bamboo table. Someone had decided that what a traditional Chinese house really needed was a life-size mural of a verdant forest. Against the soft candlelight, young grass trailed about wooden sentinels that bore their leaves to the shadowy ceiling. He spied a hare frozen in mid- air as it darted from a pouncing fox and turning to his left a white tiger slept, it's vividly snow- white head curled within its feline body.  
  
"It's odd isn't it? Lee always thought so."  
  
Rei chuckled under his breath as he tucked the sheets over the exhausted boy.  
  
"The village is pretty traditional in its outlook but we do have some modern appliances. Most of us still use candles- we make them ourselves- we still use wells but we have normal beds like this one," Rei said resting his palm on its metal frame, "and we have proper toilets although according to tradition and feng shui we keep it at the far corner of the village."  
  
Bryan nodded and without really thinking, crossed the room to join Rei. The Chinese youth seemed just as oblivious.  
  
"So what do you think?"  
  
"I think, it's beautiful."  
  
Rei chuckled again.  
  
"The village or this room?"  
  
Pale eyes flicked fractionally to gold ones.  
  
"You painted this yourself?" The Russian youth queried.  
  
"Yeah." Rei admitted, trying to sound not too smug.  
  
"Hm." Bryan paced about the room noting the tidiness and simplicity of the décor and appreciating (secretly) the wall murals.  
  
Rei watched him, arms folded and a curious grin on his feline face.  
  
"Anything to comment?"  
  
Bryan turned with a taunting grin but his response was killed off by the sudden sound of brisk steps.  
  
"Rei, ni gang cai dao le na- er - " (Rei, where were you off-)  
  
Bryan turned to take in the black robe and the harsh brown eyes.  
  
"You!" Lee exclaimed making a convulsive movement forward.  
  
Bryan brought his arms defensively before him.  
  
"Wait! Lee, I can explain."  
  
The older Chinese youth turned sharply to his younger brother.  
  
"What is this person doing here?"  
  
"Lee, he's my guest here. He's visiting. He's a guest Lee, you know the rules."  
  
Lee gaped incredulously at the golden eyed youth and finally trusted himself to speak.  
  
"Guest !?! He's a guest? This murderer is our guest?"  
  
Bryan's eyes flashed dangerously and Lee turned his gaze viciously at the Russian.  
  
"Enough!"  
  
Rei's golden eyes blazed with anger.  
  
"He is not a murderer. He is MY guest. I will be sending him to his lodgings. Now. Will you stop me?"  
  
Rei breathed heavily and his eyes seemed to glow oddly in the candlelight. Lee gaped at him, caught between fury and bafflement. Taking a last furious glance at the other two youths, he stormed out of the room into the growing dusk. Terse silence occupied the space of minutes that followed. Rei leaned heavily on a wall whilst Bryan darted his pale eyes about the room.  
  
"I'm leaving."  
  
Bryan turned curtly and swept through the door. The night claimed him. Overcast skies and thick red clouds rumbled overhead, the light from various homes glowing in the darkness. Details. Little details rushing past in his mind, keeping the painful anger hidden- barely. Why? Everything was going so well! Then it happened again- his past catching up with him. DAMN IT! Damn it . . .  
  
The past . . . stench of blood . . . bite of steel . . . echoes of falling bodies . . .  
  
"Stop that!"  
  
Arms wrapped around him flooded him with shock. He tried to turn his head to see his sudden companion and found that he was shaking too hard.  
  
His companion spoke quietly.  
  
"You were shivering, trembling and just standing there . . . stop it . . . what's wrong?"  
  
In the cold night, Rei warm face thawed Bryan's frozen cheek. Surrounding houses glowed a soft orange about their entwined forms. Slowly, Bryan fell still in the Chinese youth's embrace.  
  
_Because it's true . . . whatever was said . . . I am a murderer, I've hurt so many, I've hurt you . . .  
_  
Some thoughts and feelings were never shared because they simply were too raw, too painful to bear from one heart to another. Touch, touch he could handle. Standing here in his arms like this . . . it was like being found after being lost for all these years. It was warmth, it was safety and it was love . . . he could hold on to these small illusions. The truth was too large and incomprehensible to his tumultuous mind for the moment.  
  
"Let me take you back to your lodgings." Rei whispered into his ear.  
  
Bryan nodded slowly.  
  
They walked through the night, arms by their sides but brushing occasionally. A few seconds of Bryan's descriptions of the house he was staying in and Rei nodded his head in understanding, immediately taking the Russian youth through narrow paths and past dark alleys. They walked silently on, Bryan numb and Rei uncertain.  
  
They rounded a corner and a tall Japanese man familiar to the Russian suddenly hurled himself at Bryan. The narrow eyes, the dark hair and the slim nose he recognised collectively as the face of Dr. Yamazaki.  
  
"Thank heavens! I was so afraid! What might have happened to you . . . oh my," the doctor touched his heart theatrically in a way that Bryan sadly recognised as the true manner in which the good doctor expressed himself.  
  
"Are you alright? Are you hurt? Who kidnapped you?" The Japanese man continued persistently so that Bryan couldn't get a word in even if he wanted to.  
  
"I believe I did."  
  
Bryan and Dr. Yamazaki both turned to look over at the Chinese youth that had just spoke.  
  
"And you are . . ." Dr. Yamazaki began, faltering for the first time.  
  
"Rei Kon sir." Rei replied with a respectful bow.  
  
The doctor inclined his head to return the greeting and turned back to Bryan.  
  
"This boy kidnapped you?"  
  
"Of course not!" Bryan replied hotly.  
  
"But . . . he just said . . ."  
  
"And you believed him?" Bryan cried exasperatedly.  
  
"I'm terribly sorry." Rei interrupted the two again. "A boy left under my charge stole his wallet this afternoon. I invited him for tea as a gesture of apology and then we lost track of time in the woods and we had to get Xiao Shu in bed so we had to return to my home before I could return Bryan back to his lodgings. I'm terribly sorry."  
  
Dr. Yamazaki gaped at the Chinese youth for a few long seconds before he finally clamped his jaw shut.  
  
"Perhaps you'd like to explain it all over again inside and have some coffee?" the Japanese doctor offered.  
  
Bryan groaned.

* * *

The steaming mug before Rei wafted deliciously of coffee beans. Dr. Yamazaki brewed his own coffee apparently.  
  
"Thank you sir."  
  
The dark- eyed Japanese man waved his hand.  
  
"Just call me Yamazaki."  
  
Bryan glared at his psychologist. Rei grinned.  
  
"The thing is Bryan went 'missing' today because –"  
  
"Because of you."  
  
Both boys froze before the psychologist who had his hands, fingertips touching, held before him, eyes closed in what looked ostensibly as deep contemplation despite the small smile playing on his pale lips.  
  
"Ahahaha- you . . . you could put it that way . . ." Rei conceded somewhat uncertainly.  
  
Bryan scowled.  
  
Dr. Yamazaki grinned.  
  
"It's alright. I just didn't know Bryan had friends here." He turned to Bryan smiling brightly at the icy glare the Russian youth fixed on him.  
  
"So Rei, can I call you that? Yes . . . was Bryan a perfect gentleman around you?"  
  
Rei balked and once more both teens sat with frozen expressions.  
  
"Er . . . yes he was?"  
  
"Good, good . . . so did you have two have a good date?"  
  
Bryan bolted up from his seat and glowered at the smiling psychologist. He was going to kill that bloody idiot right now!  
  
"It was nice . . ." Rei began barely recovering from the shock and simultaneously worried that Bryan might do something rash.  
  
Bryan whipped his glare to Rei and hissed vehemently.  
  
"It wasn't a date!"  
  
"No . . . no of course it wasn't."  
  
"Then you wouldn't mind if we have to return tomorrow."  
  
"What?" both youths chorused.  
  
The doctor sighed and finally set his eyes on his patient.  
  
"I mentioned that we might have to return a little earlier. Circumstances at the main office. We leave for the airport in Hong Kong tomorrow morning. We'll be catching the flight back to Russia on the following day."  
  
There was a brief silence in which Rei spent watching his mug of coffee blankly while Bryan held the gaze of his doctor.  
  
"Did you enjoy the coffee?" Dr. Yamazaki questioned eyeing the clearly untouched mug.  
  
"Yes, very much." Rei replied absently.  
  
"Thank you very much for your hospitality. I should be going now." Rei suddenly announced , rising abruptly from his seat.  
  
Pale eyes watched the boy silently.  
  
"Let me see you out-" the doctor began.  
  
"No . . . no thank you. I'll be fine." Rei replied hastily almost running for the door.  
  
He paused at the doorway.  
  
"It was nice meeting you Doctor Yamazaki and, Bryan . . . it was nice seeing you again."  
  
Then he left, a white robe flashing out of sight.  
  
Bryan listened quietly to the fading footsteps for a few moments before rounding on his doctor.  
  
"What was all that about?" he demanded furiously.  
  
"What was what about?" the doctor asked smiling amiably.  
  
"All that! The kidnapping, the dating and him being the reason for my absence and-" 

Bryan growled in frustration.  
  
"What the hell were you doing? Do you enjoy playing about with people's minds so much?"  
  
"Bryan-"  
  
"No! I don't want to hear your explanations! Just leave me alone!"  
  
Bryan whipped about and stormed off to his room slamming the door behind him. The Russian slumped against the door and slowly slid down onto the floor.  
  
"Bryan," his psychologist's voice came from behind the door.  
  
"I know you can hear me. My methods . . . they may have been overboard but . . . some things had to be said. I hope you understand."  
  
Dr. Yamazaki paused. He knew how Bryan was feeling. He had been handling Bryan for seven months now, the importance of Rei Kon in his patient's mind was only too clear to him. When the both of them had sat like that in the living room . . . it confirmed what all of his sessions with Bryan had told him about the Russian's youth's feelings towards the Chinese boy.  
  
"We leave tomorrow morning. The bus will come by ten a.m. Anything you have to finish . . . you should do it before then."  
  
Bryan sat silently, his head receding into the embrace of his arms. He listened quietly as his doctor left for his own room and only let the tears fall when he heard the door click shut.

* * *

Rei was a white blur against a dark night.  
  
Tomorrow . . . tomorrow morning . . .  
  
That was okay wasn't it . . . ? Wasn't it . . . ?  
  
Then the images flashed before his mind again . . .  
  
Bryan scowling at the sun . . . Bryan ogling the teapot and raising the teacup to his eyes incredulously . . . Bryan's back turned tensely against him . . . Bryan searching for something to criticise . . .  
  
Strong arms caught him and he stumbled in mid- stride. Golden eyes looked up into questioning brown ones.  
  
"Lee- "  
  
"What did he do to you?"  
  
"No- nothing. What do you mean?"  
  
"Nothing? You're crying!"  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Yes!"  
  
"What happened? Rei tell me!"  
  
"He's leaving."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Bryan's leaving tomorrow morning."  
  
Lee gaped at his younger sibling.  
  
"I'm . . . sorry." He said finally.  
  
"Why?"  
  
"I . . . I mean . . . I-"  
  
"Forget it . . . sorry . . . I, I just want to sleep now. Good night."  
  
Lee watched the white- robed figure fade into the shadows his mind in turmoil.  
  
He knew. Of course he knew. This was his sibling they were talking about. He knew that look- that expression of loss . . . and all for that Russian boy too.  
  
_Damn it!  
  
Did it have to be that damned boy?  
_  
Lee swore under his breath but deep inside he already felt his brother's pain. The gnawing pain of looming loss.

* * *

(An enchanted moment  
  
And it sees me through  
  
It's enough for this restless warrior  
  
Just to be with you . . .)  
  
Rei chose not to return to his lodgings. Following the path lit by starlight, he crept silently into the forest, his breath heavy but his mind light and spinning with several conflicting thoughts.  
  
_I don't want him to go.  
  
I don't want him to go.  
  
I want . . .  
  
I want him to . . .  
_  
What did he want? What was it? What?  
  
Shadows were mottled beneath tremulous branches as the constellations gazed distantly from above. Night creatures watched the Chinese youth, their glowing eyes flickering in the dark undergrowth. The call of crickets grated against the forest's otherwise cool silence. The scent of flowers had thickened and Rei now found it nauseating. He threaded through the forest aimlessly, his mouth dry and his senses blinded by the inner chaos of his mind. He was beginning to list, his shadow wavering with him. Rei stumbled, his body dipping through the night air to land heavily onto the narrow path he had somehow kept on. 

A voice spoke from behind him.  
  
"Can you get up?"  
  
Rei shivered. That voice . . .  
  
Shaking slightly, he rose to his knees and looked behind him. The stars had cast a silver gleam to the pale white skin. White- jade eyes glittered and in its depths Rei found his image cast in those soulful eyes.  
  
"Bryan . . . you came."  
  
Something shifted in those white- jade eyes and Bryan stepped forward. In a sudden motion, he hoisted Rei up against his warm chest.

Rei tried to shake himself free.

"What are you doing?"

Bryan tightened his hold. 

"Stop squirming."  
  
Rei stopped struggling and turned questioning eyes to the Russian youth.  
  
Bryan brought his face nearer and Rei instinctively flinched but he felt his face being brought closer to the Russian youth. Their eyes locked, shadowed gold upon misty white.

Bryan moved his lips to whisper softly.  
  
"Can I ask one thing of you? Just one thing?"  
  
The scent of Bryan filled his lungs and Rei could already feel his resolve crumbling. In response to that terribly irresistible voice Rei wanted to scream a yes, wanted to shout it out loud. His heart pounded heavily. Rei inclined his head gently and felt Bryan rest his chin against his head, felt the arms wrapped about him tighten. A great sigh seemed to tremble from the Russian's body. Rei felt the pressure lift from his head and he looked up to gaze at the lavender- haired boy.  
  
"What is it that you want?" Rei questioned softly, his face hot and his heart racing.  
  
Bryan watched him for a second longer before he slid his cheek against the tremulous youth's smooth face and let his lips touch the edge of the youth's ear.  
  
"Spend this night with me. Here. Just the two of us."  
  
A bare whisper pregnant with promises. Rei only leaned forward in response holding Bryan closer to him. The Russian youth closed his eyes his own heart battered with emotions. A breeze tugged their clothes beckoningly and drifted heavenwards. The clouds parted above and flooded the entwined pair in moonlight.  
  
(There's a time for everyone  
  
If they only learn  
  
That the twisting kaleidoscope  
  
Moves us all in turn-)  
  
Rei pulled back a little and Bryan leaned back, his eyes still shut tightly, almost fearfully so. Beneath the moonlight Rei noted the Russian's damp lashes and raised his lips to them. Bryan shuddered but did not resist.  
  
"Why are you crying?"  
  
"I'm not . . ."  
  
Then taking a shuddering breath he opened his eyes and gazed contentedly at the fair image before him.  
  
"I'm not crying." He whispered again, forcing a smile.  
  
Rei watched him carefully and gently lowered his head to Bryan's chest.  
  
"I know . . . I know it's just one night . . . but I want to thank my ancestors for this night . . . this one night, with you . . ."  
  
"It's not enough . . . One night isn't enough!"  
  
Rei felt the tightening grip and smiled briefly into the warm fabric of Bryan's shirt though his eyes had reddened.  
  
"No it isn't . . . so let us not waste it . . . can we do that Bryan?"  
  
Rei freed his hand and traced across the smooth alabaster of Bryan's face. Bryan shut his eyes once more, his chest swelling with every second of contact. Rei leaned closer and whispered into the Russian's ear.  
  
"For now, one night is enough for me."  
  
Bryan caressed his lover's cheek with his own. Rei sighed, warmth flooding him. He placed his lips beside that pale ear once more.  
  
"To the rock . . ."  
  
Bryan understood and reluctantly lifted his arms away. Rei entwined his fingers with Bryan's and led him to their nuptial chamber in this sylvan paradise.  
  
(There's a rhyme and reason  
  
To the wild outdoors  
  
When the heart of this star-crossed voyager  
  
Beats in time with yours . . .)  
  
Winding about the trees, panting faintly, they waded through the grass barely noting the cold night for all the warmth in them. Every so often, Rei would squeeze his lover's palm and Bryan would respond in the same way. Laughter came between breaths; endings forgotten, a beginning was being born.  
  
Gradually the grass thinned and barely damp, solid earth stood beneath them. Before them, Rei's boulder glowed in the pale incandescence of the moon. Rei guided his lover to stand beside the rock.  
  
"Here?"  
  
The query was soft but it carried with it a tremor of pure emotion.  
  
Rei nodded his golden eyes aglow. Bryan stepped closer, a sudden awkwardness in his movements. Rei wrapped his arms about the youth and smiled tentatively at his Russian lover. Gently, Bryan took Rei's hand and guided it to his jacket. The soft lining of fur teased the smooth palm and drew a smile from the feline youth. Then Rei's smile wavered as Bryan guided his hand beneath the jacket and led him deeper into the Russian. Golden eyes went bright and eager, his mouth slightly agape with awe, breath expectant, like a child unwrapping a present that he knew he would treasure.  
  
The jacket slid silently to the ground.  
  
(And can you feel the love tonight?  
  
It is where we are  
  
It's enough for this wide-eyed wanderer  
  
That we got this far . . .)  
  
The morning star flickered in the pre- dawn sky, a silver fire heralding Helios' ascendance. From within Bryan's embrace, Rei spied its winking light and blushed with the thought that even the sun's emissary teased him for his secret toils. Bryan lowered his lips to his lover's flaming cheek, planting a small kiss.  
  
"Tired?"  
  
"You've been asking me that for the past two hours at least."  
  
"I have good reason."  
  
Rei's blush deepened and he hid his face in Bryan's chest. Bryan laughed heartily.  
  
Rei peered up at his lover. Bryan met his gaze.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"First time I've heard you laugh."  
  
Bryan looked away and it was Rei's turn to chuckle. Rei tapped his fingers on Bryan's arm and mused to himself.  
  
"First time I've heard you sigh, first time I've felt such bliss, first time . . . first time . . ."  
  
"First time you what?"  
  
Rei looked up to the Russian youth and shook his head.  
  
"Pass me my pants will you?"  
  
"You shouldn't have thrown it so far away."  
  
"You were doing the throwing remember?"  
  
"I don't know, I was concentrating on something more exciting . . ."  
  
Rei chuckled but it didn't hide the even deeper shade of scarlet in his cheeks. Bryan tried to maintain his contact with Rei and by stretching himself as far as he could, managed to pull the white article towards him.  
  
"There." he said sighing contentedly now that he was back against the boulder with Rei in his arms.  
  
Rei however was caught up with fishing something from the depths of his trouser pocket.  
  
"What's so important?" Bryan asked snuggling closer to his newfound oriental lover.  
  
"Your present."  
  
"I know what you can give me." Bryan whispered huskily.

Rei grinned but nodded almost imperceptibly.

"Later, I promise."  
  
This seemed to cheer Bryan up significantly and he settled down patiently.

Rei searched the pockets before finally breaking into a wide smile.

"Here!"  
  
The Chinese youth lifted something white and gleaming in his palm. Bryan reached out and took it from his lover.  
  
"What is it?"  
  
"It's a white- jade pendant. In the form of a white tiger."  
  
"It's . . . beautiful."  
  
"It's rare. Break it."  
  
"What?"  
  
"Break it. You keep one half and I'll keep the other."  
  
Bryan gazed at his lover. He knew about this. His psychologist had mentioned something about it during their trip.  
  
"So that you'll have something to remember me by?" he whispered.  
  
"For my first love." Rei replied lowering his head, not wanting Bryan to see his eyes.  
  
Bryan watched him for a while and then flashed a smile.  
  
"Hey, it's such an expensive piece how can I break this? You keep it."  
  
"My village mines the jade in secret. It is the source of their income. This was hand- carved by grandfather for me."  
  
"See, it's too valuable."  
  
"There is a fine line carving the pendant in two. It was meant to be broken Bryan."  
  
Bryan turned to Rei, his eyes questioning.  
  
Rei averted his gaze.  
  
"When grandfather gave it to me he said that I should break one half and give it to my bride to be."  
  
"B . . . bride?" Bryan choked.  
  
Rei looked up, mirth dancing in his golden eyes.  
  
"Yup."  
  
"You're so going to get it."  
  
Rei chuckled as Bryan assaulted his sides and stopped when Russian lips invaded a Chinese neck.

* * *

(And can you feel the love tonight  
  
How it's laid to rest?  
  
It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
  
Believe the very best)  
  
Sweat trickled down his spine but it was all worth it. This might be their last moments of tenderness. Bryan lay sleepily above him.  
  
So this was the person he had given half his jade pendant and thus half his heart to. It did not come as a surprise. Grandfather had said that he would know who to pass half the pendant to when the time came. Young as he was at the time, he had politely agreed and privately scoffed at the idea. Now . . . not a day had passed without thoughts of passing the jade pendant to this man. The only surprise was that it had been accepted, the only regret that his heart and soul would be taken away to Russia while his mind and body remained in China.  
  
He had made his choice. Was there anyone who could argue that it was folly? There would be many. Yet, they did not understand that even though one night passes fleetingly with the turn of the globe, this one night to him was an eternity. His one promise was to be forever. His mind and body may remain in China but they belonged to Bryan and that half- pendant would remind him that.  
  
Rei savoured the bitter- sweet thoughts and nestled his head in the groove of Bryan's shoulder.  
  
"Rei?"  
  
"Yes?"  
  
"After my treatment is over, I'm coming back for you."  
  
Rei raised his head and stared absently at his lover's firm back and the slightly tousled lavender hair.  
  
Bryan kept his gaze on the stars and the faint brushes of sunrise on the dark pre- dawn sky.  
  
"I'll get a job or something. Then I'll have enough money to come and get you. We can stay here if you like or else we could go over to Russia. Anything is fine with me. One thing's for sure though, I'm coming for you Rei."  
  
"Bryan . . ."  
  
Bryan turned his gaze and his heart skipped a beat when he saw the sorrow etched in those golden eyes.  
  
"I promise, I swear, I mean it . . ." Bryan reassured, flustered by his lover's reaction.  
  
Rei hugged him suddenly. White- jade eyes widened and Bryan held on to Rei not wanting to let go, while his heart ached because he knew he had to.  
  
"It may take a long time Rei . . . it may be several years . . . if you can't wait that long or if you find someone-"  
  
"I'll wait."  
  
"Rei?"  
  
"I'll wait. I'll wait. I'll wait."  
  
"Rei . . ."  
  
(It's enough to make kings and vagabonds  
  
Believe the very best . . .)  
  
Once bitten, twice shy the saying goes. Yet who pray has gone through life without pain, been with someone without sting? None. The important thing is to always give yourself and thus give others a second chance. Once bitten, twice a risk but a risk filled with promise. Love has always been filled with risk and as Shakespeare wrote, "The nobleness of life is to do thus", to love and be loved and to risk every thing for it. There is always a second chance, you but only have to accept it.

* * *

Hope you enjoyed it Devlinn. 

I take my leave.


End file.
